sure is pretty 'round these parts

As tough as it can be living in the middle of BFE in the winter time...
It sure is pretty 'round these parts when the snow is fresh.
I can't wait for the weekend to play in this snowy goodness with some girlfriends.
Girlfriends who willingly volunteer to help drag your kiddos up a mountain in a backpack or sled while on they are on snowshoes, thus having to work twice as hard on the upward motion.  They call it burning extra calories.  I call it real nice :) 
It lets mama actually get out to play! 

(This photo is actually from December.  We have feet more snow that this now.  I just haven't been home on a sunny day in so long... and I just wanted to look at this photo...)

Glimpses

Though I am pretty sure only Steve's and my mothers faithfully read this blog, or other close family or friends, some people popping in may be curious as to what life is like in Plain.  In the dead of winter.

I always think of these "Glimpses of life in Plain" posts while I am driving home for some reason. Well let's be honest, I have 35 miles to think, on windy mountain roads, so obviously there's some time to reflect there. Often while driving, I think, "WOW this drive is long today! I could make life so much easier if I lived closer to work..." Ahhh but I just don't think life would be as full somewhere else. But I digress. Long commute = lots of time to plan posts in my head about what life is like in Plain that, for the most part, never get written down. So I am going to write a few down. Because when I am old and my memory is failing perhaps these posts will jog a memory :). Or at least let my kids know what it was like back in the day!

I drive a 2002 Subaru WRX.  We bought it used. It has over a hundred thousand miles on it. We sold our 1998 Subaru with 265K miles on it when we bought this WRX. I loved the old, and also love this new(er) one!  (I was going to take a photo but I rarely remember to pull out my phone when I am faced with clearing 12 inches of snow off it when I leave work.)  Anyway, this car gets me to where I need go, and rarely gets stuck.  Well it hasn't been stuck yet anyway :)

This is a little part of my drive to work. It's long. Like 75 minutes long with two daycare drop-offs. Phew.  And that's on a normal day :)  In the snow it can take up to an hour and 45 minutes, like today!

See how nicely the roads were plowed this evening?  We are in the middle of a sweet winter storm here in Plain. We had about 6 inches Monday, 6 more Monday night, and another 5-6 inches while I was at work on Tuesday. Now it's Thursday and I totally lost track of how much we've gotten.  Feet, at least.  Not counting in inches any more. I am lucky because Steve has been home to plow me out with the tractor. When he's not here..., let's just say I burn a lot of calories shoveling. Because I haven't had my tractor lesson yet :)  Though I did master the walk-behind snow blower this evening. 


I leave you with a few photos from our home yesterday.  BEAUTIFUL.

This was accumulation on the back porch, Monday thru Wednesday evening.

Guess who got to shovel it?

I resolve

This year I resolve to:


1. Give myself a break. In a lot of areas. 

Do I want to cook a healthy meal every single night for my family?  Yes.  Do I want my house to always be clean for company?  Yes.  Do I want to wear a size 2 petite like I did pre-children?  Why yes, I would!  Would like be everything to everyone?  Actually, yes...  I kind of strive to do that all times...  It's not really healthy, as I am learning... So anyway, I am trying to give myself a break.  For my emotional sanity.  I've actually been working on this for quite some time now, and apparently the desire to be perfect is strong because it is taking me a while to figure out how to be okay with just "good enough". 


2. Try to make (better) friends with some of my acquaintances from Plain.

I am really bad at this.  It's partly because I have lived here my whole life...  and I have family here.  and I have friends here.  and I have family friends here...  so why try?  I mean I am busy enough already, and per resolution #1 I am supposed to be paring down my activities, right?  Well I could use that excuse.  But I just think there are a lot of amazing women here in the valley that I would like to get to know a bit better.  Most of them are stay at home mamas, so we don't have many chances to connect outside of Sunday mornings at Church.  So I already signed up for a "home group" type thing through Church, and am hoping to get tucked into in a nice group with a few ladies to get to know.  And though the group will only meet once a month, I am going for quality over quantity :)


3. Sew something from a pattern.

I have no patience when I sew.  I LOVE internet tutorials because they just show photos, no patterns required, and you just start cutting with not much planning involved.  However this doesn't always turn out well...  I've created some pretty wonky children's clothing... good learning experience right? Plus, using a pattern will teach me some good basic sewing concepts, which I need to learn.  I am going to do it. 


Well, I think that's enough for 2012. 

Notice I didn't say diet in that list.  I don't have that kind of energy in me just yet :)
I'll report back in approximately 361 days on how it went!
Hoping for good results.

Ringing in 2012

We had a great time hosting family and friends this weekend for new years. We decided to light up our bonfire on new years eve this year, and invited whoever wanted I come for a good ol' country party with beer, plaid and bonfire. Missing were target shooting with the 12-gauge and the smell of a two-stroke engine.... Ah maybe next year for that :)

No fire department this year either (I was glad about that!), just a lot of good conversation and a bit of sledding, meeting neighbors who walked over, champagne, and accidentally getting diesel all over my mittens when throwing dry wood on the fire when it was being started. Oh and someone driving into the ditch in front of our house (roads were SUPER icy) and needing our (read: every male at the party's) help getting pulled out. (You know, because it is in all men's nature to want to be involved in these things: starting fires, and cars stuck in ditches. I am not kidding about that.) anyway, they got unstuck eventually.

Olaf stayed up until 9:30 when he asked to go to bed. I know, dreamy right? Most folks stayed until about 11:00 then headed out. There was lots of fresh snow to be had in the mountains and no one wanted to sleep too late in the morning :). The hardcore stayed up till midnight though!

Cutie pie cousins had a great time together too.







I am looking forward to seeing what 2012 will hold -- hopefully more time with family and friends :). And country style parties. And a few kick-a** weddings for dear friends. And a sweet rafting trip. And watching my boys grow up. And visiting Montana. And maybe some more deliciously cute babies from family and friends???? (no not me people, sorry). I can always use more cheekies to snuggle up to.

Cheers to a new year full of God's goodness in our lives!



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